Open XLF and XLIFF files, edit translations beside the source text, and export your changes. File processing stays in your browser.
Your file is processed on this device. Browser storage & privacy
How to open and edit XLIFF files
Open an XLIFF export from your localization or authoring tool. The reader turns its source and target text into reviewable rows.
Keep the original export as a backup. The file extension alone does not identify its XLIFF version.
Read the source, revise the translation, and use search or the empty-target filter to focus on the strings that need attention.
Leave tag IDs and placeholders unchanged. They connect the words to formatting, links, or values inserted by the application.
Select Export XLF to save your changes. Import the edited file into the application that produced the original and check the result.
A successful download is not a full compatibility check. Test one file before editing a large project, then review the imported text in context.
A wording change. An untranslated label. One last review before handoff. Open the file and get straight to the text, without creating a translation project first.
File parsing and editing happen on your device. Drafts use this browser's storage, so you can return to saved work in the same browser without setting up an account.
Keep the original wording in view while you revise a translation. No switching between XML tags just to compare two sentences.
Search for a term, isolate modified segments, or show empty targets. A focused review starts with a shorter list.
Undo and redo edits as you work. Browser drafts help with recovery, while an exported copy gives you a file to keep and share.
Use the XLIFF file editor for hands-on corrections without an installation or account. Automated translation is a separate service.
An XLF file is a translation file in the XLIFF format. XLIFF is short for XML Localization Interchange File Format, an OASIS standard for moving translatable content between applications. It carries source text, target translations, and structural information that links each string to its place in a project.
The extensions .xlf and .xliff belong to the same file-format family. They do not identify the version; that information appears in the <xliff> root element. Instead of scanning raw XML, use this XLF reader to inspect the text in rows, or switch to hands-on review and update the target wording. The exported file still needs to be checked in its original application.
Scroll the table sideways to compare versions.
| File version | How text is organized | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| XLIFF 1.2 | Translation units use <trans-unit>, with <source> and <target> elements. |
Review inline codes, segmentation, and any extra data added by the exporting tool. |
| XLIFF 2.0 | A <unit> contains <segment> elements with source and target text. |
Check segment structure, inline code references, and the importing application's requirements. |
The practical test is a round trip: export a sample from the source application, make a small edit here, then import it back. Support for the base XLIFF format is not certification for every vendor's export. Do not rename a proprietary variant just to fit the file picker; export a standard XLIFF file from its original tool.
An XLF file does not show the learner's full screen. The same word, "Continue", serves different jobs on a lesson button, a quiz screen, and a link out of the course. Review strings with that context in mind.
Then return the edited file to the authoring tool. A correct sentence can still overflow a button, lose a needed line break, or send a learner to the wrong next step. The editor helps with the words; the course preview shows whether they work where they belong.
Keep IDs, placeholders such as {0} or %s, and paired inline tags intact. Translate learner-facing words, not the code that inserts a name or score.
Use consistent terms in lesson titles, buttons, instructions, and quiz feedback. Read correct and incorrect answer feedback in context, not as isolated sentences.
After import, check long labels, line breaks, links, font coverage, and right-to-left text where relevant. Run through the learner actions, including quiz results.
Text inside images, audio, and video needs its own localization pass. An XLIFF file contains only the text that the source tool exports, not every element of a course.
Common questions about our XLIFF Software
Choose a .xlf or .xliff file in the workspace above, or drag it into the file area. The editor displays source text and target translations side by side. Use it as an XLIFF viewer without changing anything, or edit target cells and select Export XLF to download your changes. JavaScript must be enabled.
Yes. Opening, reading, manually editing, and exporting XLIFF files here is free, with no account required. This workspace does not generate translations automatically. Qopywriter.ai's premium document translation services are separate.
The editor reads and edits file content in your browser rather than uploading it for processing. Drafts use this browser's storage.
The editor supports XLIFF 1.2 and 2.0 files with .xlf or .xliff extensions. Compatibility also depends on the exporting application's inline codes and custom extensions. Test an export and re-import on a copy before editing a full project. Do not change a proprietary file's extension just to make it fit the file picker.
For focused manual edits, this browser editor is an alternative to installing desktop XLIFF software. It does not provide a full CAT workflow. Open Language Tools XLIFF Translation Editor is a separate application, not an XLIFF standard. Check exported files against the rules of whichever tool you use next.
Treat the original file as your reference. Do not rename IDs, remove inline codes, or translate placeholders such as {0}. These elements can carry formatting, links, or values inserted by the application. This editor does not replace XML schema validation or the source application's own checks. Test the exported file in that application before delivery.
Return to this page in the same browser and use Restore draft if a saved draft is available. Browser storage must be available for draft recovery. Private browsing, cleared site data, storage limits, or switching devices can make the draft unavailable. Download a copy of your edited file before ending a session.
Check that the file is complete XML, uses a supported XLIFF version, and comes from a valid export. An .xlf filename alone does not prove the contents are XLIFF. If the source application rejects an edited file, compare it with the original and check placeholders, inline tags, and import settings. For large files, close other tabs and keep an untouched copy.